Method and means for wrapping packages



July l, 1930. w. F. HENDRY METHOD AND MEANS FOR WRAPPING PACKAGES FiledJan. 4, 1929 Patented July 1, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE WILLIAMF. HENDRY, OF OSSINING, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO E. D. ANDERSON, INC., OFNEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE I METHOD AND MEANS FORWRAPPING PACKAGES Application filed January 4, 1929. Serial No. 330,357.

This invention relates to methods and means for wrapping packages.

It is an object of myinvent-ion to provide a method and means forwrapping `packages with sheets of material, the dimensions of which varywith a change -in humidity of the surrounding atmosphere. p

Other objects and advantages will be made clear hereinafter.

It'has been found that it is impractical, if not impossible, to wrappackages with an ordinary wrapping machine where the humidity of theatmosphere in Which the machine works varies appreciably, andhygroscopically varil able wrapping material is used. It has been foundthat certain hygroscopic wrapping materials, for example, Cellophane,vary greatly indimensions with Vchanges in the humidity of theatmospherein which they are placed.

i420 While it might be possible for a standard packing machine tooperate with glassineV or other such hygroscopic wrapping material,

provided the humidity of the surrounding atmosphere be maintained fairlyconstant, no perfect-ly reliable and satisfactory method has ask yetbeen devised satisfactorily to wrap packages by machinery with suchmaterial. Most machines are adapted -to wrap a package very tightly soas to give it a smooth appear-v ance. If such a machine wraps a packagewith Cellophane on a damp day it is Avery possible thatthe covering ofthe package may split when the humidity of the atmosphere is loweredsufficiently by removal of the packa ge.

to some drier place or by a. change in weather conditions. The reasonfor this is that the covering on a package willshrink and the tensiontherein may be increased sufficiently to tear the wrapper. This would beespecially true with packages having sharp corners. On the other hand ifthe wrapping operation were performed on a very dry d ay the packagewhen Wrapped would have a smooth appearance, but upon a change in 5weather carrying with it an increase in humidity of the atmosphere theWrapping of the package will loosen and present an untidy appearance.

In accordance with my invention I propose to form a wrapper ofCellophane or similar hygroscopically expansible material by folding asheet of it about a pattern having the desired shape, and slightlylarger dimensions than the package to be enclosed` this forming processbeing carried out in an atmosphere of relativelyY high humidity,preferably higher than that of any atmosphere in which. the package willbe placed at a later time. After the wrapper has been folded into itsdesired shape itis removed from the pattern and slipped over lthepackage which is to be covered, and thereafter sealed by folding it andfastening the end portions thereof. If desirable the pattern upon whichthe wrapper is initially folded may be made hollow7 with thin sides sothat after the wrapper has been given its desired shape the packagewhich is to be enclosed may be slipped within the hollow form and thenboth the package and wrapper withdrawn from the form at the same time.By this process the Wrapper is properly positioned on the package in aperfectly smooth condition with a minimu of effort. f

After the completely wrapped .package is removed from the room whereinthe enclosing process has been carried out it is exposed to the ordinaryatmosphere which is of a normal humidity below that of the room whereinthe wrapper was applied. This exposure shrinks the wrapper smoothly onthe package without subjecting it to excessive strains, therebyproducing a neat and well appearing article. By properly `gauging thesize of the pat-tern and the humidity of the wrapping room with relationto the average humidity of the locality in which the packages are to beplaced on display and sold, it is possible to ycause the wrapper tocontract tightly around the package so as to present a smoothappearance, without damaging the wrapper. Ifdesirable the finishedarticles may be freed from the moisture absorbed during wrapping byplacing them in a drying room upon completion of the wrapping operation.

If the material forming the wrapper shrinks instead of expands with anincrease in per cent humidity, the reverse process may be used. TheWrapping process should then be carried out in a very low humidityatmosphere so that the wrapper may later shrink to the correct size.

Reterring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a pattern for shaping thewrapper, with a sheet of material partly in place.

Fig. 2 shows a wrapper completely folded on` the pattern.

ings, reference numeral 1 indicates a pattern `or die adjacent to whichis placed a sheet of material 2, such as Cellophane. The pattern may bemade solid, as shown, or may be made hollow and collapsible so as topermit easy removal of the formed wrapper. 'Ihe sheet 2 is wrappedaround the pattern l by hand or in any other manner, occupying aposition when finished, as shown 1n Fig. 2. One or several convolutionslof the sheet material may be used as desired. After the sheet wrapperhas been shaped to the form shown in Fig.

i 2 it is removed from the pattern l and placed made slightly tapered,if necessary. After' on the package 5. This maybe done lby slip- Y pingthe wrapper from the pattern and then placingthe package therein in any,desired manner. Preferably it is done by placing the package -at the,end of the pattern andl slip# "ping t e wrapper directly on to thepackage,

thereby 4preventing wrinkling of the sheet material in handling. Inorder to facilitate removal of the wrapper the pattern may be thepackage hasl beenf'enclosed as shown in Fig. 4, the ends of thewvrapperare tucked ,in, as shown in Fig. 5, and held in any suit'- lable manner,for example, by pasting or by placing a seal 6 over the folds thereo Asan alternative, method which may be found more desirable in enclosingarticles which are of slightly irregular shape the arafter the sheet ofmaterial` has been -therearound In Flg. 6 an article is shown partlyinserted ticle may be thrust inside of a hollow pattern folded within adie having thin walls 3 and cut out portion 4 in the top and bottomfaces thereof.

The packageI and wrapper may be removed wrapper without injuring thelatter. Where this process is used the thickness of the slde walls ofthe pattern should be properly proportioned with respect to the size ofthe artlcle and the humidity-of the wrapping atmosphere so that when thefinished article is exposed to the ordinary atmosphere the wrapper willshrink onto the enclosed article so as to present a smooth appearance.Likewise, in connection with the method shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the sizeof the pattern or form-should be so proportioned with respect to thearticle being wrapped kthat the desired shrinking effect will beobtained.

While I have described my process as carried out by hand, it will beobvious that it pattern to' form an open end wrapper, place ing anarticle beside the pattern at anl open end 'of the wrapper and movingthe wrapper from the pattern directly onto the article. v

2. The method of packing which comprises forming around a pattern anexpanded l wrapper open at both ends, placing an'article beside thepattern at an open end of t-he wrapper, moving 'the wrapper from thepattern directly on to the article and thereafter shrinking the wrapper..y

3. The method of packaging which comprises forming around a pattern inan atmos# pliere of high humidity, a wrapper of hygroscopicallyexpansive material, open at both ends, placing an article beside thepattern at an open end of the wrapper, `moving the wrapper from thepattern directly onto the article and thereafter subjecting the wrapperto anl atmosphere of lower humidity.

4 In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification,this 31 vday of December, 1928.-

WILLIAM F. HENDRY.

together from the 'pattern by gripping the 'two at the openings 4 in thepattern.. Thereg after, the package may be'l completed in the mannerdescribed in connection with Figs. 4 and 5. The advantage of thisprocedure is that the stiff walls of the pattern serve to l guide thesides" of the package within the v l ao 1. The method of packaging whichcomprises'folding a sheet of material around a t

